Bay planners rushing to finish report

The Birch Bay steering committee has added two more meetings in March in order to finish final revisions to its report, tackling the potentially divisive issue of governance last, according to Consultant Pat Milliken.

“The committee is plugging along through the process,” Milliken said. “Last week we tabled consideration of both the housing chapter and transportation in order to allow for comment and reaction from two county departments to items we added.”

The committee inserted language in the housing section that asked county planning to require adequate low-cost housing units when approving planned unit development. They also wanted to allow the county public works department to respond before final approval of the transportation chapter’s detailed descriptions of the committee’s preferences for road improvements.

The governance issue will come up in the latter part of March, Milliken said, and will not make a recommendation beyond “simply considering four alternatives: incorporation, annexation to Blaine, staying as is with the county or staying as is with a closer look at providing some services through special districts. The currently un-funded but active Northwest Parks and Recreation District would be an example of that.”

The next two meetings of the steering committee will be held March 6 and 20 at 7 p.m. at Birch Bay Leisure Park..

Back to Top